Our cruise ship accident lawyers express their sincere condolences to the families of two men killed last week when Royal Caribbean’s mega ship the Independence of the Seas got its mooring lines caught up with a smaller craft as it was departing from Port Zante, St. Kitts.
According to CNN, eyewitnesses saw the men in a small boat capsize in the ship’s wake. Although both men were wearing life vests, one man’s vest apparently became unfastened as he was thrown into the sea.
The Independence is one of RCCL’s mega cruise ships, with 1360 crew members, a surfing simulator called a Flo-Rider, rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, full-sized basketball court, full-sized boxing ring, and miniature golf course.
Crews aboard RCCL’s Independence of the Sea as well as the Celebrity’s Silhouette, which is also owned by RCCL, assisted the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) in searching for the two men. The tragedy delayed the departure of both cruise ships for more than four hours, with one departing at 9:00 PM.
The accident has raised many questions as to who is at fault as well as how the attempted rescue was managed. According to the St. Kitts and Nevis Observer, video footage from the Celebrity Silhouette’s security cameras “will be made available by early next week for review” by the local police, and cruise and maritime officials are expected to visit St. Kitts within a few days.
Our maritime law firm is passionate about helping those who have been injured aboard a cruise ship. We have over twenty years of experience in representing injured passengers against Carnival, Holland America, Disney, and Royal Caribbean.
If you believe you have a potential claim, it is important to seek the counsel of a cruise ship injury lawyer immediately as most cruise ships stipulate a one-year statute of limitations to assert any potential claim. We offer every potential client a free initial consultation. Please email or call us today, toll free 1-866-597-4529.
